Proper workflow for Avid project from Pro-Res proxies ?

[Martin Fox]

I have just had a lot of problems with relinking in a project where the transcodes were done in version MC 4 and the relinks were done in 8.6, I would recommend upgrading before you start.

[Glenn Sakatch]

I would only point out that (with no knowledge of your box) your re-transcode might be totally unnecessary.

I just finished a feature lenght movie that was shot Arri Raw, transcoded by the DIT in the field to Prores, and supplied to me for editing. We had to do our own audio sync. I just linked to the prores files and started cutting. This was a 24 day shoot, with approx 4tbs of proxys. My pegassys had no issues playing back the footage, as linked media.
(i should also point out i’m working in a windows box)

You should do up an upgrade to the latest Avid before starting the project, as linking is much improved in newer versions.
Also, if you have the space, (since v7 i think) you can just do a fast import of the prores footage, and it will basically rewrap the media to prores mxf, which is pretty fast, again depeding on your system. I think fast import for prores will only work on a mac.

Finally, be aware that the audio that was synced in Resolve will have lost its relation to the original audio recordings when you bring it into Avid. If you are planning on sending this to a sound house, and they are going to expect to rebuild using the audio recordings instead, you might want to do the audio syncing in Avid, then you can relink the audio files at the end before sending out to the audio house. If everyone is fine using the audio from the prores, then you are good to go.

Glenn

[Nina Lucia]

I found something about fast importing Pro-Res and tried that but it didn’t seem any faster, forgot to try to see if that’s something I can do in the background, so I just went ahead with transcoding. I think the DNx takes less drives space too unless the import shrinks the file size as well.

With both I lose the color the DIT put on it in Resolve. I don’t know the LUT used and some of it was dark so in the interest of trying to get started and cutting I went ahead and I’ll just put a color layer on in the sequence.

I did upgrade. I tried to do it officially since I bought the upgrade in March, but somehow my System ID is lost/unusable so until they fix that I’m running the trial of 8.3.1.

As to audio, the DIT said the audio tc matched the pic tc, and the burn-ins of both are exactly the same, though the burn-ins are the same for the day it was supposed to be different, so I don’t think the audio burn-in is actually reading the sound tc. However, if they jammed sync I figure I can fill in the audio information manually, the sound roll and then copy the start time of the clip into the sound tc column and they should be able to auto conform if needed, right? The audio has remained 24 bit and I have all tracks on each clip so I’m not sure they need to rebuild anyway, I think they could just use the AAF media? The mix tracks were put on the last open tracks rather than always on 1 or 1&2 so I’m just going to cut all tracks over and move the ones I don’t use down to muted audio tracks. So the sound editor will have everything built to go to.

Thanks for the input!

[Nina Lucia]

Thanks for that info!

[Glenn Sakatch]

You will know fast import is working right away. It is waaaay faster, and actually says “fast importing clip…”

There are a few restrictions for it to work. The codec you are importing has to be on the box already.
The frame rate has to match the project
The raster size has to match the project.
There might be another one that i’m missing.

Also, when you go to import it, you have to select the same codec as an mxf variant in your import settings.
(you can’t fast import a prores HQ file as a dnx175 file…just as a proresHQ.mxf file)

I don’t think it can happen in the bg, but i’m not positive.

Glenn

[Nina Lucia]

Yeah, I did the Pro-Res mxf option. No way to do it in the background and it doesn’t change the file size.

I went ahead and transcoded in the bg and was able to organize the scene bins while that was happening, and got much smaller file sizes so I was able to put them on an internal drive.

Btw… both options changed the color a bit, it came in less contrasty than the original Pro-Res QT, but both methods matched each other in the Avid. I assumed the Pro-Res was 709, maybe it was RGB? Anyway, most of the color looks fine, even better at times since it’s not as “video” looking with less contrast.

Thanks for the input!